On successive days, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stepped out for solo events which could be considered “poverty tourism” by some. On Wednesday, Kate made an appearance at a baby bank, a charity which provides diapers and baby necessities to low-income parents. I took the appearance mildly, because I’m so used to Kate’s dumbf–k “events” where the only real mission is “make Kate appear like a credible Early Years expert as she jazz hands her way through a photoshoot with children.” That’s how low the bar is for Kate – I was like “maybe she’ll draw attention and donations will go up.” The Scottish paper The National had a different take:
People across the UK are struggling to afford even the costs of living amid Brexit, inflation, energy spikes, and the price of having a crooked Tory government in charge. Some of those suffering through hardship have had to turn to food banks to stock up on the necessities. Others might turn to baby banks for help dealing with the often exorbitant costs involved with raising a child.
You might think then, that a baby bank is hardly the place for an all-smiles photoshoot with one of the most privileged people on the planet. You might think that.
Showing that even being royal doesn’t guarantee class, the Countess of Strathearn went to north London on Wednesday. While there, reports say she “helped a mother pick out items”. She then knelt down to greet two young children sitting in a buggy.
“You forget how tiny they are!” Kate said: “I remember those days.” She added: “It’s a busy time, but so wonderful.”
Absolutely wonderfully busy. We’re sure that’s how the young mothers who visit the baby bank feel as well.
Kate then posed for a photograph (or 56) before chatting to celebrity hairstylist John Frieda. Who else? The whole visit was an exercise in vulgarity – but while Tories who smile and pose at food banks get rightfully called out, Kate’s media coverage has been predictably fawning.
I mean… they’re not wrong. It IS vulgar. Especially coming on the heels of a £28 million Jubbly celebration which no one wanted. And Kate truly isn’t good at being “deep.” I’ll say one thing in Kate’s defense though – it was a baby bank, not a funeral. I’d rather see her smile at a charity appearance than try to cosplay some hyper-intellectual Debbie Downer. But there’s surely a middle ground and Kate can’t find it with both hands and a map.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Prince William pretended to be a normal bloke as he keenly posed in a red vest and hat and “sold” copies of The Big Issue, which benefit unhoused people. The Daily Beast’s headline was “Prince William—Who Has 3 Houses—Cosplays as Homeless Man for Charity.” It’s true. William and Kate have Kensington Palace Apartment 1 (a mansion within a palace), Anmer Hall (a mansion) and Tam-Na-Ghar, a “cottage” on the Balmoral estate. They are also begging for a royal home on the Windsor Castle estate, which would be their fourth home. Making matters worse, William’s thing was so obviously an awkward stunt, complete with “regular people” regurgitating a Kensington Palace script. It was uncomfortable. So what is with Bill and Buttons’ poverty tourism these days?
How Prince William spent a day ‘undercover’ selling The Big Issue https://t.co/MqP1GfiGUX pic.twitter.com/UroY3WRPR8
— Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) June 9, 2022
Are we really this f*cking ridiculous?
Pretending Prince William's Actually out selling Big Issue's 'Incognito', when Literally every Newspaper & Royal Reporter has written articles & tweeted about it. WITH PICTURES!
Poverty Porn PR… My GOD I hate our media SO Much— Mikey Walsh (@thatbloodyMikey) June 9, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Earthshot screencaps.
-
- Wembley, London, UK. 8th June 2022. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge arriving at Little Village’s hub in Brent. The Duchess if visiting to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698028772, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Supplied by AVALON – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photo by Amanda Rose / Avalon
-
- Wembley, London, UK. 8th June 2022. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge arriving at Little Village’s hub in Brent. The Duchess if visiting to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698028791, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Supplied by AVALON – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photo by Amanda Rose / Avalon
-
- Wembley, London, UK. 8th June 2022. HRH The Duchess of Cambridge arriving at Little Village’s hub in Brent. The Duchess if visiting to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698028813, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Supplied by AVALON – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photo by Amanda Rose / Avalon
-
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visiting Little Village Brent, to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698075352, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
-
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visiting Little Village Brent, to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698075451, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
-
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visiting Little Village Brent, to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698075595, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
-
- Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visiting Little Village Brent, to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families by ensuring that they have access to essential items for their young children.,Image: 698075968, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
-
- Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attends the Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham Featuring: Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2018 Credit: John Rainford/WENN
-
- Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by members of the Royal Family, attends the Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham Featuring: Meghan Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 25 Dec 2018 Credit: John Rainford/WENN
The tide is turning….
Fingers crossed!
There definitely is some sort of shift happening. I won’t hold my breath, but I think we all sort of knew the fawning praise could not last forever.
the shift is when H&M came back, they were like super stars so the press went into the usual Racist overdrive even paying people to boo. GM news.. but there stardust was still there and they couldn’t deny it. now the press is saying Harry needs to come back and ease some of the load off of willy and Katie,what a liberty!
I will keep saying this till I’m blue in the face. There is something seriously afoot with not just this useless pair but with the whole monarchy. They are panicking and are running out of ideas. The jubilee was meant to be a reminder/ a fix but it didn’t quite land as it did in 2012. The mood and landscape is much different and a generation has grown up questioning their value, purpose and what they actually do hence the poverty porn stunts. The Sussexes coming over dealt a bigger blow to the family. I know they will carry on with these useless stunts until something breaks and we know who is going to get thrown under the bus and ran over.
Agreed. In regards to W&K, I’m getting the vibe that the Jubilee didn’t go the way they wanted it to go, hence why they’re now doing a poverty tour around the UK (albeit separately). It’s like they are throwing sh*t at the wall to see if it sticks and it’s just making matters far far worse. We love to see it.
I always get a panicky-clean-up vibe from these two. But why? The jubilee wasn’t a total disaster right?
Yet, regularly, they seem to be panicking into a course correction for some imagined crises and maybe affecting one media cycle, at most. Absolutely no long term thinking at all.
The Queen personally invited the Sussexes to the jubilee and ensured safe passage throughout the jubilee. So far Charles has not been leaking and as unofficial regent had to have been part of the planning to get them to the UK.
The Cambridges have been running around trying to claim they were invited to Lili’s birthday celebration but the truth of those past 4 days was clear for everyone to see. The Cambridges were very publicly sent away to Wales on Lili’s birthday and the 2 couples were seated far from each other in the church.
The Cambridges underhanded tactics have exposed them as the source of the abuse Harry and Meghan suffered these past 6 years.
William sold out his brother to the UK media and now he clearly has no contact with and access to Harry or Meghan and his kids are not enough to feed the UK tabloid machinery.
That monster they fed will turn on them if they fail to keep up their end of the bargain.
The jubilee was supposed to be a triumphant conclusion to the UK media embiggening campaign of the Cambridges who had successfully driven out the Sussexes from the country.
The Sussexes would be kept away from the event and if they dared attend would be met with boos and harassment by the UK media. The fantasy fell apart as the Sussexes attended the event and the people cheered for them at the church.
@Elizabeth Regina & @Gruey, I agree. These events are a panicked course correction, but I think they were probably planned pre-Jubby Plats and are yet-another-failed-attempt to course correct after their disastrous Caribbean tour.
I think they are sincerely trying to show that they understand the plight of the “less fortunate.”
But they don’t understand, they don’t care to learn and actually educate themselves on these issues, or do the hard work of understanding how the monarchy & aristocracy has exacerbated these issues over the last several centuries.
And so they just continue to screw it up.
I think the Cambridges are part of a worldwide problem. The exorbitantly rich don’t seem to understand that there are a lot of people who are frightened and desperate specifically because they lack money. And that’s what super rich folks like the BRF don’t understand on a visceral level – the fear. Most people don’t have a Duchy they can run to for money. Most people don’t get massive tax breaks because their ancestors were the most murder-y and violent. I believe this is their version of fear.
They haven’t actually listened to non-rich people in decades. It’s all very let them eat cake (even though Marie Antoinette never actually said that). But once people snap, they don’t tend to come back. Hell, you only need to look at Harry for evidence of that. So rich folks like the BRF try all the little bread crumb stuff that worked before, but now it’s actually making things worse because it’s reinforcing how much they won’t listen without that existential dread that the threat of loss of power brings.
The smartest thing the BRF could do is to scale down. If future King Charles is stupid enough to display the gaudy wealth of the BRF during his coronation, then I think that could be the tipping point that spells the end of the monarchy. Stop reminding people that you are rich, in part, because you are subsidized by the regular people and the poor. Stop reminding people that you think you’re better than they are. Stop being lazy while insisting to people who work their assess off TO PAY FOR YOU how hard you work. Just stop it.
Elizabeth Regina, it’s kinda scary how specifically these 2 (Willy and Ctrl C) are behaving or may I say deteriorating. I am beginning to suspect they’re both not mentally healthy for real. The way Keen is copying Meghan is really really disturbing. And of course the unexplained rage issues that Willy seems to have even though he has the complete family he never had and he doesn’t have to worry about food or a roof under his head. Something is not right. If these two were happy and secure it would show.
i smell a Rat and i think all is not well in the willie and Katie show…
This 6yr old Royal makes the Cambridges look pathetic…
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a40230065/crown-prince-of-bhutan-his-first-solo-engagement-age-six-photos/
Nonya, I’m amazed at the kid (because he is a kid,a 6-year-old kid, no matter what his role is… King?? ) so well behaved and so aware of his duties… Amazing…
Yeah once again their PR machine is just bad. I will work for them to just point out that when your country doesn’t care that kids don’t get fed at lunchtime you doing this is a terrible AF look.
So much this. When people are choosing between heating and eating – this is awful.
They need to fire their PR team, ASAP. This would be the perfect time for Kate to copy Keen Meghan — Meghan & Harry donated pallets of diapers to an L.A. women/baby shelter and did the same (I believe) for a similar charity in Texas.
They didn’t show up for 15 minutes with cameras in tow (it’s terrible when M&H do it, but it’s OK when K&W do the same? Gotcha.)
They provided needed PHYSICAL supplies for a charity, let the charity post it on social media, where mainstream outlets pick it up, therefore focusing the attention on the charity itself, not themselves. It’s. Not. That. Hard.
The true problem is the rota has been talking non stop about the Sussex since the jubilee ended. A couple who was rarely seen yet here goes copykate again wearing her hair like Meg did at Lili bday. So the future of the monarchy rests with whom? When the rota barely mentions the lambridges or their kids after the fact. The headlines remain about California
@anne, I remember. When the Sussexes delivered pallets of diapers the BM wrote about it. But, they had to include something something about the company being problematic. You know what is problematic..not including a link to donate to a charity you are using for effin PR. It’s not that f&ckin hard. It’s a joke at best. Oh, and of course, Kate couldn’t help herself NOT bringing up one of her children with “I remember those days. Louis did fit into those shoes once!”. If I didn’t know better, Will’s “incognito work” selling the Big Issue was a SNL skit. Which, at best, it was.
You are correct. It’s. Not. That. Hard. Seriously. If, on their social medias, they provided direct links to support different things, it could be a different story for the Cambridges. They rarely do. But, hey y’all, donate to our Royal Foundation.
ps. Haven’t seen a 990 from the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge from 2020 yet. Their 2019 return was filed March of 2021. (dear Richard Eden, you claimed to have seen said documents from 2020-please share said documents on twitter-d@mn dude, you’ve farted out anything involving the Sussexes. Show some man balls with official links. Guessing Eden can’t. Man balls are in storage in Never Never Land.
Having just read what Jan moir of all people said about over exposing their kids’ I think a majority of the British media is starting to have fatigue towards them and what they are offering. Offering the kids up was once great for the media, but we’ve seen them too much now so pic aren’t really worth that much.
The press really want the Keens to get info on harry and Meghan, but with all leaky taps cut off there’s nothing. I think the media realise that they are not really getting much of a return from the Keens.
Willie and keen have run out of ideas to keep the media fed and pretty soon the penny is gonna drop.
Why was John Frieda there?Seems so random.
To provide help with the hair extension flicking?
Omg yes! It was so windy, it almost flew away!! 😂😂
I know John Frieda is involved in a lot of charities, in the UK he’s partnered with another charity to collect hair donations, make them into wigs and donate them to children with cancer. Wouldn’t it be something if they were chatting about a donation event where she cuts her hair into a smart bob and then donates it? Yeah that was a nice fantasy thought.
To be fair who knows if those organizations accept cut off wiglet lengths.
Heather, I keep hoping that will happen! I convince myself there’s a chance because Khate’s idol, Lady Mary Crawley, bobbed her hair on the show.
Wow that Scottish(i guess the Scots are genuinely not fans of the Royals) paper went IN. It will be interesting now with no foreseeable appearances by the Sussexes how the press will be towards them.
YEAH THEY DID. And I am here for it. As I read that – and finished the second paragraph I was like, oh SHIT let me get my popcorn for this. I hope MrsFonzieFace is right and the tide is turning.
The English papers are papering over the cracks but God bless the Scots who don’t take crap from anyone. For the most part they abhor English rule and the monarchy in particular. Even the queen got booed when she was over there talk less of this pair. They know they have a difficult road ahead of them, hence the secret meetings with pollsters and ramping up visits to the poor. Disgusting.
This not the first article either. In the last few weeks I’ve read at least THREE that are in the same vein. I think once Liz goes, so goes Scotland from the monarchy. Do a quick search and you’ll find the articles.
Jan90067, I thought the same thing. The Scots are not happy and refuse to play the game. It’s going to be very interesting watching how this plays out.
Seriously! Wondering if The National is a mainstream broadsheet in Scotland?
The National is a very SNP pro-independence newspaper. However, the SNP have always been quite forthcoming about wanting to retain the Queen as Head of state Post-independence so I guess this could be quite surprising.
I am Scottish and was there for the jubilee – you’d never have known it was happening. Scotland wasn’t really there for it, not the West Coast anyway.
It is – it’s pro-independence so very anti-Tory. The Scottish National Party (in government in Scotland) are mostly left-of-centre in their policies but have to tread carefully in terms of the monarchy; about half of Scots support independence but the Queen is generally regarded with some degree of (sometimes grudging) respect and affection. Even if that’s mostly because she’s ancient! I think other commenters are right when they say that public opinion might change when Charles becomes king, though – he definitely isn’t viewed the same way. Scotland is also starting to grapple with its own colonial past, particularly the fact that a lot of its institutions and 18th and 19th century urban benefactors benefitted from the cotton and sugar trade, and that may have a part to play too.
So obvious they came for the photo opportunities and good PR only. They gave nothing, absolutely nothing. Glad they are being called out for their offensive “me, me, me” appearances. So good to see the Scottish newspaper take down. We need more United Kingdom commentary. The English press is so soiled and corrupt.
@jferber exactly! She brought absolutely nothing! This astounds me. The last time I moved I was able to drop off a ton of bags of children’s clothes to charitable organizations and books for the prison that is about 30 minutes drive away. I have a teenager – and I found things this kid has never worn, brand new with tags on it, in closets. New shoes in the box – that aunts and uncles gave for birthdays etc. It’s the reason I stopped having birthday parties – we got so overwhelmed with gifts. On one side the kid is the only grandchild so they are always buying clothes, toys, stuff. And that’s just me regular Joe! I’m not even wealthy. Can you imagine the stuff she has – the number of suck ups who send gifts and toys. And she couldn’t carry a few things in (blankets, clothes, toys) as a token gesture? I’m assuming the palace donates those items (maybe they don’t) but surely she could have found a few stuffed animals or things around one of her three houses. I can’t with them! Also, God bless Scotland!
I once wrote a semi-ironic article in which I argued that Prince William should learn to knit, because then he could make things for charity (the royal dukes actually did this during WWI and into the 1920s and 1930s). This visit would have been a nice opportunity for something like that from Kate.
When I gave birth, the nurse asked me if I want to donate some diapers etc for babies who were left in the hospital and parents gave them up. Holding my newborn and thinking how she’ll have all she needs and those babies are starting their lives alone I called my husband to buy as much as he can and bring here asap! She’s insanely rich mother of 3, and she haven’t thought of bringing anything? I would arrive in a TRUCK packed with baby stuff. And her only comment is about wonderful time with little babies? I would guess for moms forced to use baby banks this wonderful time is overshadowed by real struggle. No question about what they need? How they cope? What could be done? She’s either that stupid or that detached from reality.. I really cannot decide which is it.
Anna
As we know from Kate, her family, her cousin, her old school mates… Kate only cares about herself. She can’t understand how she could care about someone else. She isn’t interested in others or their struggles.
Famously her cousin said this in defense of how Kate seems detached at events listening to other peoples struggles. That basically she just doesn’t care.
Kate’s a textbook Golden Child daughter of a textbook Narcissistic Mother. I read when the GC is grown up, they aren’t really interested in anyone other than them-self, their mother, their romantic partner, and to a lesser extent their nuclear family.
It’s not the royals’ custom to show up bearing gifts. Have you ever seen the queen walk into an event with a bag of hand me downs?
I think the point is, it should be.
The point is that the old way of “royaling” isn’t really working anymore. Maybe the billionaire should show up with some gifts when visiting a charity.
Haven’t they enough hired help to bring things prior to the visits? I’m sure H&M didn’t schlep that washer/dryer to the school/children’s center in NY. It’s called DELIVERY lol You’d think the royals, being waited on hand and foot, understand the notion of something(s) being BROUGHT, not carried by themselves.
@meganc agreed this is definitely not the royal way. Except people are now publicly asking why the hell not.
@Gruey we know that but Khate wants to be more royal than royals so of course she will not bring anything to emulate the “royal way”. Look at her cosplaying the good old royal days via her outfits and that jeep parade.
The thing is that Kate isn’t born royal, as the media loves to point out – she’s got those sturdy middle class roots that are supposed to guide William to becoming a more empathetic and relatable sovereign. Doesn’t seem to be working out.
Princess Diana, famously, auctioned off her dresses for the benefit of charities — supposedly at William’s suggestion. If Kate couldn’t bring herself to have a staff person carry in a box or two of appropriate donations, something like Diana’s auction would be fine. Really, anything practical and actually helpful would be fine.
Princess Anne, in her decades of work with Save the Children, provides yet another model of how it can be done; so do the Prince ‘s Trust and the Duke of E award.
Meghan would have brought something needed and useful – we all know it.
Yes I absolutely understand that.
My point is that saying this is the royal way is no longer enough to explain away the poverty tourism. Especially when her patronages are closing, Meghan does so much for her patronages and the Royals are changing laws to hoard wealth.
There was a time where the royals didn’t do walkabouts where they interacted with the general public. But someone with sense in that clown show realized things needed to change, so they started greeting the crowds during walkabouts. There’s nothing stopping them from changing things up again. And no, there is no proof that simply bringing the press with them to engagements accomplishes much else besides act as PR for the royals.
I am glad that people are finally pointing this out. The Monarchy is useless and they haven’t changed with the times.
This two idiots pulling these stunts have grown old and people are sick of paying for their lifestyles and getting nothing in return. Cain and Unable are causing detrimental harm to the Monarchy and are showing people how useless the entire lot is. KHate could have easily brought some children’s clothes from her own home that the 3 have grown out of in addition to clothing with tags still on them. They are being called out for their uselessness. It is about time!
The queen also attended multiple engagements per week. Kate does that once a month. If she’s going to be the old royal way she needs to work like the old royals too. She does not.
Besides there are literally thousands of clothes she has purchased through money she doesn’t have so the taxpayer and she can’t bother to donate any of that?
She’s a wasteful spendthrift and it’s more than time for her to be called out on it.
I know it’s not the same as boxes of donations but the queen used to bring smarties or other sweets for children. I’ve read that re lots of visits when she was young, I don’t know if she still did it when she was old.
The tree picture! 😂😂😂 Another classic, well done Kaiser!
+1. I laughed out loud.
Also, not sure who that woman is he is pictured with but it’s amazing that protocol allegedly does not allow PDA with his spouse – but it’s OK with attractive females. And he actually is smiling while doing so!
Maybe thats the lawyer we keep hearing about. LOLz – obviously not but he looks happy enough to be close to her.
@DU – it’s been a long time since he has smiled like that when next to Kate.
I wonder if it’s the lawyer too, because it really struck me that one, he’s beaming and two, she’s got total adoring him vibes/body language. Does she look like the mystery blond from those leaving the club pictures around Christmas time? I have blonde blindness so I can’t tell.
I do seem to remember there was a “protocol” that royals will NEVER do selfies (or give autographs) with crowds/public.
https://www.insider.com/kate-middleton-meghan-markle-royals-no-selfies-rules-2019-7
Google Svetlana Ignatieva, she’s a lawyer and COO of Flora and Fauna. That is definitely her. No wonder he has such a goofy grin on his face…more proof that he and Khate are separated and it’s only a matter of time until the Queen passes and the marriage will be over.
omg Jaded. I think you’re right. Wow. So Tatler is really putting it all out there, huh? Is this THE lawyer?
@Becks1 — yes, she is *the* lawyer.
My jaw is on the floor! Wow, separation news in 3, 2, 1.
What stands out in their pics at these solo poverty porn events is that they really seem to enjoy doing them. It’s hard to hide who you really are in a photo if you are photographed a lot. You can tell when your relatives are using a fake smile in a photo, and there is usually some story behind family photos where strangers think your mom is pleasant and happy in the snap, but she is really smiling like she is about to rip dad’s head off.
The rota always discusses how the Duchess of Sussex is “an actress” who is “fake”, and insists that Harry is heartbroken and seething about not being invited to events. But Harry and Meghan are actually happy, so they don’t have to try to poker-face it through things together. And they seem happier together in photos than when they are apart. The Cambridges have genuine smiles only around their children and in places with complete strangers.
Wow, @ Jaded! That’s is damn bold!!! Holy cow! William is not a bright bulb, is he? How could he not think that people wouldn’t figure it out? Unless they are about to announce a divorce, but they have been trying to act like a happy family for a while now, so I think it’s just about being an entitled idiot.
I won’t link it, but there’s a short interview with Svetlana on YouTube called The Leader Inside. Looks like the same lady. She’s quite articulate and intelligent.
Edit to add: she looks like a young Calista Flockheart in the picture above.
If you watch the video, she seems to be wearing the same earrings as the woman in the photo.
The Times used the same pic and identified her as a Lithuanian tourist, and provided her name. It’s not Svetlana but agree there is a strong resemblance.
The pro-Tory, pro-royal Times? Of course they’d attempt a cover up.
The photo with the blond woman is credited to Laura Michalkevic-Zuikauske on Instagram (@laura.zuikauskas). I don’t think it’s a cover-up by The Times.
Svetlana Ignatieva’s CV (available on LinkedIn) remind me a lot of Jecca Craig, which may partly account for William’s purported interest in her. She’s Oxford-educated and has worked in conservation for ages. Interestingly, she was also a trustee for Mayhew until 2020.
Fredegunda
Yes it is her Instagram. Thank you for posting that. She doesn’t seem to be the woman the Times claimed she was which is interesting. They all rushed to call this woman anyone else to hide a possible affair because it is easily believed William is
A. Cheating on Kate. And
B. Dumb enough to be photographed with his mistress.
What is funny is William’s smile is the same smile he gave in their 10 year anniversary pics. A forced smile for the cameras.
Wow, an intelligent lawyer, who is well educated, well spoken, and promotes environment causes . . . could be the saving grace for William? If he can extricate himself from his current wife who is the opposite of all that (not bright, not well spoken, doesn’t really care about any subject that isn’t shopping).
Mrs. Krabapple
This COO/lawyer is part of a conservation group that seizes land to use for profit under the guise of conservation. It was a point of protest during their colonialist tour recently as William supports F&F.
If you read up on how it operates it’s very frustrating.
@WigletWatcher – so it’s some faux environmental org? That is disappointing. But I suppose the royal family hasn’t really cared about the environment either, although they take credit for it (Philip’s conservation of big game was so he could hunt it)?
Mrs.Krabapple
From my understanding, yes. Big money goes into “conservation” for a reason. There’s money to be made.
The issue with the commonwealth protest was the locals had their land stolen. What FF did was added new buildings and created a business with farming those resources while preventing the locals from farming the lands generations before them thoughtfully farmed and sustained. Then they claimed the surrounding lands for “Conservation.”
The locals refused WandK a landing for their plane on What land they had left.
William listens to white faces with British accents. He doesn’t listen to locals and he doesn’t listen to the working class. And I’m glad we’re talking about this. A true and valid criticism of William. Yes, he’s a joke with his temper and philandering, but he’s also a corrupt man harming the lives of many in other nations for pointless and selfish reasons.
Ooo! That very pretty woman is getting very close to a very happy looking prince!
@Ang, I did not see your post – that pic set off the same thinking for me (I commented above). Wonder how Kate feels if she sees it. It’s one thing to take these pics and show much love to your wife, but he maintains a distance from hie wife so the optics aren’t.
Kate’s team is good with photoshop. Maybe they can substitute her face in that pic so she has a nice photo of a happy husband who wants to be near her.
Yes! He looks happier here than in any pictures with Kate
Lol. She is pretty. Kinda looks like a blonde Sophie Winkleman.
See my comment above, it is undoubtedly Svetlana Ignatieva, lawyer and COO of Flora and Fauna, and reportedly William’s sidepiece.
Jaded OMFG you’re right 🤯! He would only be this bold if Kate is truly on her way out!!
I bet Sly Willy got her number too.
He’s had her number for a while, she’s purportedly his sidepiece.
Kate’s appearance didn’t faze me that much because…..that’s so much of what royals do, right? Visit charities and foundations and muse on how helpful the organization is for people who were not fortunate enough to be born into royalty or marry royalty. It’s just that I think we’ve all kind of just become immune and accepted that that’s what royals do. I think both Harry and Meghan changed the perceptions of what a royal can or should do, but on its face this visit from Kate was a pretty standard royal visit.
When i was reading that article yesterday from the National I thought, this is 100% spot on and could be said about so many royal visits.
As for the Daily Beast article about William – I spit out my water when I saw that headline yesterday. I thought it from the Onion at first. It’s SO TRUE.
It’s weird that both Kate and William had these events this week, wonder what the thinking was at KP.
It’s called damage control PR from Louis’ tantrum.
They sent out the goon first (Mike Tindell) and then work shy Katey Keen.
I think little Louis’s behavior caused a flood of issues and we are seeing the fall out. It’s funny that trotting out the children could backfire the way it has.
@FHMom: Really? I’m not following. It’s not like he’s the first Royal child to behave poorly. If anything, IMO, it made Kate seem slightly more relatable.
@Lionel I don’t know that it made her more relatable but I do believe this is something they feel they need to do damage control over. After all the articles and quotes about Kate being an “early childhood expert” and a perfect mom with perfect well behaved children, Louis acting like an overstimulated overtired 4 year old at an event not suited for that with the cameras trained on him plus his tantrum disrespect of his mother with cameras trained on them, most of us would have shrugged and said well that’s a 4 year old for you and would have questioned the wisdom of bringing him there and keeping him there but that would be it. I think they see this a total attack from within on an image they bought and paid for through the media.
It made me feel bad for Kate, and I’m not even a fan of hers. But that boy was not raised to respect his mother, and that is wrong imho. Also, I don’t care that there was a show going on – when kids act like that, you remove them. I also wonder is William stuck the youngest kid next to Kate so he didn’t have to deal with it.
Yeah, it’s the “old fashioned” royal visits. I don’t think most people would have thought twice about it if it hadn’t happened right after the Jubbly. Soo much money spent on the Jubbly, and the very next week those two highlight where the money had been much better spent.
Yeah, there’s a disconnect there, right? It’s very “lets spend millions to celebrate us being rich! oh you cant afford diapers? how sad. did seeing my grandmother in law on Stonehenge help?”
Exactly. All the money spent on the royals for big parties and even day to day and all the country gets back is smiles and waves?
I guess it’s the British way. I know other monarchs have jubblys as well, but the brits seems to take it maaany notches higher. Didn’t think that much of it when queen Margrethe of Denmark celebrated 40 years on the throne in january,
The pro-royal stance is that they Jubilee brought in billions of dollars.
I’d like to see a breakdown of where those billions went. Did it just defray the costs or was it to certain companies involved with the jubbly and the merchandise? How did most people benefit? The whole RF construct needs a serious cost-benefit analysis instead of just tabloid claims of tourism benefits. It’s amusing how the RF supposedly only costs a pound a year or some such to individuals but when it came to H&M’s security the cost was estimated so much higher by tabloids. How many tourists see royalty? If it means because they visit palaces or watch changing of the guard those things can exist without a RF. How many come to the UK specifically to see royalty?
@Becks1… “…. how sad. did seeing my grandmother in law on Stonehenge help?”
I quite literally laughed out. 💀
@Becks: I suspect it was all part of their one-sided competition with Harry and Meghan. William and Kate thought Harry and Meghan would be still in the UK this week and they wanted to show them up.
Ooooh good call AmyBee. I bet you’re right. They assumed they would be staying past Sunday so they had these events lined up. That’s why we were hearing so many stories about H&M “leaving early” and “sneaking away” – bc that’s what W&K thought they were doing.
@Amy Bee: exactly that, they thought that Meghan and Harry were going to visit charities after the Jubbly so they had those events lined up.
that’s why the BM is saying that they left secretly because the Cambridges thought that they would have stayed longer. This is their problem moving forward, they can’t predict the Sussexes.
Charles and Diana both brought more meaning and stuff to royal work (and maybe Anne, I don’t know). It’s definitely been done in the prior generation even if they didn’t want to be “inspired” by Harry and Meghan (Kate sure gets inspired by her appearance so why not her deeds?); William and Kate just don’t want to do it.
They are trying to do what H&M do so well. But they lack the intellectual curiosity, the compassion factor and genuine interest. Princess Diana could do these events, H&M nail these events. But Kate and William just haven’t got it.
Kate should have showed up with a truckload of diapers in all sizes.
William should have been working side by side with a homeless man or woman, not posing with upper class folk.
They miss bc they don’t take that extra step. H&M do. That’s the difference.
They don’t take that extra step because they’ve already reached their goal, which is to get publicity for themselves.
Not just that, but when was the last time their personal wallet was open for ANYTHING/ONE other than themselves? Even then, they try and mooch everything for free off “friends” and connections.
these two utterly lack any empathy or feeling for anyone beneath their station-including William’s brother. what Diana had-and Harry and Meghan share-is caring and openness combined with a desire to act.
To William, even to a greater degree than his father, they’re all “peasants”.
They are in a fundamental bind in many ways. Their money comes from the public. If they start contributing it back and that becomes their main impact, then that seriously begs the question of why pay them at all. They have to be able to convince us that their value is somehow far more lofty that mere money or charity.
@Gruey, I disagree. Taxpayers money pays them a salary for them to do a job. That job implies raising money (that’s what charity is about) and donate it. Rich people already have money, still they hold events to raise money for charity amongst themselves. Will and Kate could name the charities they visit so that people can donate to them directly (it’s actually preferable).
William plays polo, why not arrange polo matches with the solo purpose of raising money for their charities? I could go on on things these two could do, but don’t.. They do none of this… They just smile for cameras…
The articles I have read, Meghan always shows up with a check and/or items for the charity she is supporting. If Kate can steal her style, she could also take a page out of how she conducts herself when supporting community organizations.
Diana often gave short but powerful speeches while visiting non-profits about the needs of the people being supported by the organization. Why it was important to help, what society needed to do, how she was doing a small part of the larger work that needed to be done. Even if Diana did not bring donations herself, she did everything she could to inspire others to support and donate to causes she found important. And more than that, she worked to re-orient people’s mindsets to be more compassionate, empathetic, loving, and aware of what was truly going on in the world, how people were suffering and where and why. There is more than one way to use fame for good and Diana did an amazing job, and so do H&M. Charles also has his ways and does a great job w many of his causes, he gives speeches and holds charity concerts to fund Prince’s Trust and has turned his traditional craft/agriculture project into something that i think is self-sustaining. Why W&K cannot emulate any of these three models at hand is a mystery.
If you’re not bright you’re not bright. Kate waited 10 years to marry willy and it wasn’t just for love i tell you that
@zen, Spot on 100 percent 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Becks1, Yes, Harry and Meghan changed the game. Good observation.
Kaiser! Photo choices as awesome as ever.
The National has produced some scathing stuff about the Earl and Countess, all of it true, while brutal. The shade in the Tatler article is pretty mild, OTOH, but I love their strategic use of quotation marks. The Lamebridges’ poverty porn is so offensive and so blatantly meant to counter their recent poor coverage and, possibly, the Sussexes’ excellence (including Lili!). I think they thought they were playing into their individual wheelhouses (early childhood/homelessness), but it just brings emphasis and attention to how little their “work” really accomplishes.
The National article devoted as much space to three or four LARGE photos of Kate grinning and hyena-ing as it did to the copy. They were asking what we are always asking: What is with the constant inappropriate grinning? Finally someone calling Kate out for her One Smile Fits All routine when her subjects are standing right in front of her, in need and clearly suffering.
“ her subjects are standing right in front of her, in need and clearly suffering”
THIS is what infuriates me. Kate is worthless, clueless, and she hasn’t earned the privilege she married into. I’m heartily sick of her rictus grin. When Willnot says all they can bring are wishes and **smiles**, this is what he means.
Both Keen and Mean are entirely without empathy or a conscience. Neither they nor their staff have come up with ONE.MEANINGFUL.THING that would garner them some praise, they only pay the smallest of lip service for a few minutes of photo ops then f*ck off back to one of their 3 lavish homes. This performative BS is being highlighted more and more negatively by the tabs because of the sharp decline in leaks and *stories* about the Sussexes. The information pipeline has been shut off by their absolute refusal to play the game (and their willingness to litigate), and while they’re having success after success and showing how true philanthropy and public service works, the Dolittles fiddle while Rome burns.
I did say yesterday that a man with so much who continues to take money that could go to the poor and uses them for PR stunts and that Katie mcbuttons should stay away from all things children related.people with common sense see through this lack of empathy and compassion for the less fortunate and see these people for what they are ,self centered privilege good for nothing looking to boost their pr.
Kate went empty handed to a baby bank, got photographed and said, “Remember I have children!!” to some struggling mothers.
William sold a couple of Big Issues for a homelessness charity, got photographed, and then sauntered back to one of his enormous houses.
Good week for them. Loads of photographs for their PR.
Wait, were the charities supposed to benefit too?
Perfect comment!
I believe William sauntered to his private helicopter which took him to one of his enormous homes.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. GREAT comment, Belli!
The Scottish media is NOT playing around this week. Independence referendum 2, go!
And then there was that pretty scathing article from the Irish Times too. The media in England proper may be willing to cut them some slack, but Ireland and Scotland? Nope.
Unable had the polling boss in a meeting a KP to talk about M & H falling poll numbers, according to the Dailyfail.
The Lamebridges are not smart, the Sussexes walked away and still they live in their heads.
Now they have the spotlight and they can’t handle it, lurching from one dumb idea to another.
All they do is copy the Sussexes and end up looking inept.
Poverty porn indeed – I never cease to be dumbfounded that the cluelessness of these 2.
I will never forget the time when Khate regifted a baby box that she had been given as a charity auction prize – IIRC it was missing some items that was originally part of the box. I don’t think anyone bought it.
Not just that, but did not include a personal note that would’ve upped the price the charity could’ve gotten. Clueless.
Classless.
How does it work when they go from house to house? Do they have a full set of clothes and toiletries and everything they want at every house so they just walk in and use whatever is there, or are they packing luggage every time? I wonder if they’re ever at one palace and can’t find something and have to think “which other palace might I have left this?”… and then send some under-appreciated valet to go fetch it.
My guess is they have toiletries at every location, and then they also probably have basic clothes at each location, maybe some differences (like my guess is most of Kate’s “outdoorsy clothes” are at Anmer, most of her coatdresses are at Kensington) and then they travel with some clothes, but they have things like full sets of pajamas etc at each location. Not sure about Scotland though.
they would never concern themselves with such ordinary activities. Just like Andrew and his stuffed animals, the staff keeps “preference cards” detailing every last thing down to the placement of washcloths and whether the pillows are plumped or creased. Even for the children. The advance team does all of this before they arrive.
BTW Charles travels with his own mattress and his own toilet seat. Even when he visits the home of a “friend”. the servants come in the morning of his arrival and set up the royal bedchamber to his specifications, then break it all down after he leaves. IIRC he also travels with a cook and eats separate food from everyone else.
So whether by accident or design, any touch of Diana has been extinguished from William. Temperamentally he is even more Charles than Charles himself.
I’m sure they have everything at every residence. I can’t imagine living that way. So weird and out of touch with how real people live their lives.
I lugged a backpack with clothes and toiletries over to my dad’s house on the train every other weekend in childhood. If I forgot to bring something, I made do without! These people have never made do.
I just imagine that they live like characters in Regency romance novels. Multiple houses, multiple staff permanently at each house, everything in order and ready to go when their highnesses arrive.
Oh I’m sure they have duplicates of all their toiletries and clothing basics at each home, along with staff to replenish them regularly. And a full wardrobe of day-to-day/site-specific clothing that lives at each home. And at the very least I’d bet they each have the Royal version of a “go-bag” with a week or two’s worth of toiletries and underwear ready to go at all times. Heck, they each probably have one fully packed for a ski vacation and another fully packed for a beach vacation just sitting around. You never know when the urgent need to see the Alps or Mustique will strike you, right?
I think it was Princess Margaret who had duplicates of her favorite paintings always packed so her staff could hang them in precise locations in country house guest rooms before her arrival. It was assumed that she still believed they were the originals. Important for her to feel at home at all times, lol.
I really believe something is terrible wrong with these two folks. I just can not fathom going to a center which supplies those in need , especially baby needs without bringing tons of needed items. Is this woman’s appearance the gift? Donations never go up as a result of any of these folks visits. They are so completely out of touch with the real world.
She could have partnered with a big company who would have loved the free PR – I think Cams did something like that when she did an event for rape survivors where she turned up with loads of beauty goodies for the charity who had created little beauty bags that were given to rape victims as part of a scheme to help them deal with what happened to them. Its a great idea and from what I’ve read its something greatly appreciated by survivors.
EDIT: Am aware I might not have articulated the above properly, apologies if not.
She donated items and helped pack ‘wash bags’. These are given to those who have just undergone rape kits. It’s a wonderful program she spearheaded and they have similar ones here in the US, some which include a change of clothing as well. https://www.boots-uk.com/newsroom/features/hrh-the-duchess-of-cornwall-launches-wash-bags-project-at-boots-uk/
Huh, that article says Camilla instigated the wash bags program. That makes it sound like it was her idea? maybe that’s just generous wording, but good for her if so.
Courtney
Becks
I followed that story as it happened and thought how wonderful of Camilla.
It was her staff working with the charity’s idea at best. Pretty much the charity had ideas that needed help executing and Camilla’s staff arranged articles and photo ops of it.
It was cherry picked for Cam to put her name on it.
Even Fergie has done this with health care workers during the pandemic.
‘wash bags’ – Nice gesture by Camila… This is what they are supposed to do. Start the community thinking, changing for the better. Small things are very important…
During C’s visit she refers to the impact of COVID on the community and asks whether post COVID “…the needs and demands of the families are still there”? I guess “modern, well educated” C is unaware there’s a cost of living crisis in the UK.
And, “It’s a busy time, but so wonderful.” What? Once again the inept KP PR team fails to load up the Chatty Cathy doll with the right canned comments tailored to a charity serving mothers who CAN’T AFFORD TO FEED AND CLOTHE THEIR BABIES. My god.
Exactly, it’s ‘busy but wonderful’ if you can actually enjoy it because you’re not spending every waking second stressing about the Cost of Living Crisis. Ugh.
Oh C-Shell damn this comment has my dying. The Chatty Cathy doll pre loaded with appropriate sentences hahaha
Cshell
On your pic. It looks like those dog coffee mugs I see everywhere. Are those King Charles cavaliers or beagles?
Mmm. I find the fact that Scottish journalists are much more prepared to bluntly tell the truth and put the boot in to Kate and Wills interesting; especially when , as this journalist notes, the English coverage is “fawning”. I wonder if the English papers are effectively self-censoring because they know that PW can – as he did with the Rose affair – get a super injunction granted to shut down reporting in England. I go back to Scottish journalist, Alex Tiffin’s open tweet about Will’s affair with “that Rose lassie” and his clarification that he could tweet about it with impunity because the super injunction didn’t apply in Scotland.
I can imagine that most of the judges who would consider an injunction would be exactly the type of more elderly, posh, white males who would happily grant protection to a member of the royal Family so maybe the English press know it’s not worth the hassle. Wasn’t there a Rota journalist recently who wishfully tweeted about not being able to wait until they could finally report the truth on Wills?! They must be spitting if they are sitting on all the juicy gossip and effectively gagged. Surely, eventually, the dam has to break?
That wasn’t a rota journalist. that was someone from the Sunday Times I think, it was a name I didn’t recognize. It was around the time “the Other brother” article came out IIRC. So that tells me that what is known about William is more than just gossip about an affair or something.
Yup Becks1 I agree.
And the messy, nosy person inside me wonders what it is and hope it gets out soon.
lol. Jazzy Jeggings shows up for a picture or 56!!!! OMG. Laughing and I am here for it. “let them eat cake” attitude has turned this very much a useless racist couple in to shark bait. HOOHAH!!!
It’s the she poses for a photo(or 56) that is sending me. 😂😂😂
A reminder y’all!! Will and Kate are being elevated with the Queen more than likely out of the picture post jubilee. They’ll be doing tons of events now because they have to.
If you’re a Sussex fan don’t help them. As much as yesterday was for PR to an extent it worked for them…though I am seeing more vocal resistance towards them.
Please don’t help them promote their brand no matter how outraged you are.
They already have the government, media and institution fully backing them. They don’t need Harry and Meghan fans in that as well outrage promoting them.
The most viral video of Louis came from a Sussex fan.
Meanwhile there’s great viral posts and videos about Harry and Meghan all over. Spread and retweet those.
“Vulgar” is exactly the right word for it.
the entire point of royal visits to charities is to create a photo op and a schedule of “work” to serve as justification for the continued existence of the monarchy. they do no actual tangible good for any of these organizations by showing up to take pictures and be inane, and that’s never been their goal anyway. But now they feel like they have to pretend it is because of the Sussexes actually doing good nonprofit work and making an impact as celebrity philanthropists.
to that end, I don’t understand why they still don’t realize they actually need to donate something other than the brief amount of time their presence creates a distraction and a disruption to the actual work of charity organizations.
There was a time where photos ops were enough to appease the masses but that’s no longer the case. Harry and Meghan are well aware of this and strive to do more. They have set a new philanthropic business model. They learn about the organizations they visit, they come prepared, they learn what is needed and often bring goods and supplies. They direct people on how they can support and donate DIRECTLY TO THE ORGANIZATIONS and NOT through an opaque foundation where no one knows where the money goes.
I can’t wait for the day someone does an investigation into the Royal Foundation. I’m absolutely positive they pocket 90% of the money themselves. Probably launder money like crazy too. There is a reason why Harry set up his projects outside of the organization.
OMG that photo of William either meditating or taking a big $hit while fondling a (now traumatized) tree! 😜
That picture is hysterical
hahahhahahahahahhahahahhahahahahahahahahha
fondling a (now traumatized) tree 😀 😀
I’m cackling
Someone on this site called it his O-face, and I think of that every time I see this picture now. It makes me feel icky and amused at the same time.
They are so out of touch
On one of my trips to take care of my parents, I sat next to a Scottish couple on my transatlantic flight. They were NOT happy with the UK/ London after Brexit at all. They felt that England was bleeding Scotland dry, for instance, they mentioned that wind energy produced in Scotland gets sent down South and winds up being far more expensive locally. They were not happy with Englanders who clog up their roads and dump garbage during the summer holiday. And they also felt that London exacerbates inequality between North and South. Apparently about a decade ago they referred to themselves as British, and now they prefer Scottish. I don’t know if this is true, but I imagine that The National article might be in response to that sentiment; something like, hey, you caused this so now actually do something about it!
There is a massive difference between the government in Westminster and London.
London itself has massive levels of poverty. And some of the most deprived areas in the country. Yes money ‘goes to London’ but the population of London is greater than the whole of Scotland.
Most middle class people from outside London don’t care though because it’s mainly where POC live.
There is a big difference between the London of Londoners and the people who support the royals at Kensington Palace.
Case in point is Grenfell- not so far from KP
They should load up on some sunscreen asap cause these burns are real! Yes!
vulgar is right!!! And these two are called “working royals” – there’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever seen one. If you want to see royals “working”, look no further than Meghan & Harry.
My old CEO used to occasionally help sell Big Issues to raise awareness and funds and needless to say, Willy did it totally wrong and in the laziest and most superficial way possible.
What you should do – tell people in advance you are going to sell the Big Issue so people know to come buy one off you, build up hype and awareness about the magazine and it’s contents, raise awareness about the Big Issue and how it helps people, sell the magazine alongside a genuine Big Issue seller and make an effort to get to know them throughout the day, and then let them keep all the profits of the sales you make together. DONE. Awareness and money raised for Big Issue.
This could have been a lovely charity engagement for Will but it just falls flat because he pretended to sell some magazines to KP plants rather than doing the WORK.
K
Absolutely agree with you. Your CEO went out and did it right. But William doesn’t help causes. Not even 50/50. He helps himself and thinks his presence is enough.
William didn’t do it wrong for what he was trying to achieve. He got his pics and articles. Done.
Betcha he kept the money he made too.
I don’t understand how Willie and his 21st century team of PR experts do not understand this? I thought they only hired the best?
Kate asked the volunteers “Is it easy to volunteer?”
I blushed. She didn’t.
Are you kidding???!! She asked that??? After the the comment of how busy but beautiful time it is when babies are small?
I remember when William was “younger” and as a form of “engagement” slept outside (allegedly) with some ppl from Centrepoint to bring attention to homelessness and it went down really well publicly at that time. The fact that their strategy for engagement has not shifted in 20 years shows just how irrelevant the Royals are. Sadly many UK news outlets promoted this PR b/c they were told to but what was comforting was to read the comments that no one is buying it anymore and rightly so. Homelessness esp in the UK has increased substantially that these type of “engagements” don’t fly anymore and in fact gaslights the common person who if they live in a city see and feel the effects of homelessness on a daily basis.
I remember reading about that occurrence, it was later revealed that Centrepoint was his late mother’s patronage. One that she held dearly.
Whenever Bill was angry with his father, he would publicly support her
one of her causes.
In this instance, it may have a dual + purpose that included an upcoming article in the Sunday Times about his 40th birthday.
To outdo his brother’s open affection towards their late mother.
To get back at his father for even speaking to his brother.
With malice in his heart, he also hope to grow his popularity with PR or propaganda.
The tide always turns when no leaks about the Sussex come.
And clearly the many briefings about luncheons and imaginary invitations being snubbed weren’t enough for the media.
True but something feels a bit different this time – the Keens have nothing else even on others in the family to offer up. The rest of the BRF know their game and have cut them off – they literally have nothing to offer up to the media beast they willingly got into bed with.
When the beast is starved it will turn on the hand that used to feed it.
DU
I believe this. The family cut off the Cams. They’re leaning more towards Harry. And they understand William will be the death of the monarchy.
The Cambridges aren’t interested in helping people. That’s been obvious for many years.
I head up my church’s pantry and meal delivery service, which has grown into a pretty big operation since the pandemic. We do our best to provide groceries and necessities for as many people in need (and their pets!) as possible, and have taken on clients who didn’t qualify for or couldn’t be accommodated by other meal services, and while I’m proud of what we’ve managed to do, it does mean that we are constantly busy, and rarely have enough volunteers. Every once in a while, we’ll have local politicians or clergy who want a tour and sometimes photo ops. This really tested my patience, not only because they most often just get in the way, but because it’s so pandering and patronizing. So I instituted a rule that no one gets a free tour. They must bring a donation, or stock shelves, or help with cooking or assembling meals, or even just do a coffee run for us volunteers — anything to make themselves useful (and no, “I’m bringing attention to your cause!” is not particularly useful). No exceptions. I’ve even had the Archbishop dishing out mashed potatoes, and enthusiastically supporting our rule.
I realize that volunteers at many charitable organizations do not have the authority or support to institute rules like that, but I think basic etiquette demands that visitors not waste volunteers’ time and ESPECIALLY do not use the organizations’ clients as props. It should be common sense, but that’s basically how every royal visit plays out, isn’t it? They might as well be tossing coins from their gold plated carriage while the peasants scramble to scoop them up.
Miranda
This is wonderful. Your work and your rule.
@Miranda ~ thank you for your service…and for speaking truth…and your rule!!
You Rock and Rule!
@Miranda no words for how much I love this post, the work you do, and the rule. Well done.
Thank you for this comment, and for the important work you do. That kind of reminds me of how (bad) people try to scam artists by saying they’ll get ‘exposure’ but this is exactly the same thing! Don’t show up empty-handed, don’t use the needy or volunteers as props, actually do something with your time and be helpful, and if not, at least stay out the way!
Many thanks @ Miranda for your time and efforts. You are truly a servant of the people. I love how you’ve managed the photo up situation, by teaching people to be hands on instead of in the way.
Great rule.
The National article was absolutely accurate. There have been many politicians showing up or opening foodbanks with huge grins like having a foodbank is such a great thing. Kate’s visit had the same vibe. She would have been better off bringing some items, spending the day working there and publicising the visit after. The William stunt was so offensive as he took away someone’s chance of earning a living and it seems he was just tagging along with an actual worker. It looked like he was just posing with people who recognised him and make no real attempt to be incognito. Not to mention he was stationed at one of the poshest areas in London. Ridiculous. He should have just worked a few days at homeless shelter instead.
All Khate had to do was pick up a phone (oh, I forgot, she’s got an assistant to do that for her) and call a list of companies that produce baby stuff — diapers, baby wipes, baby soap and shampoo, onesies, blankets, strollers, bassinets, etc. etc. and they would be glad to donate. Why can’t she and her so-called team of experts not put the simplest of plans in place and just get it done?? Why couldn’t William show up with donated clothing, a fat cheque, ANYTHING other than just showing up with a stupid grin on his face and a hot blonde on his arm (who incidentally looks exactly like Svetlana Ignatieva, the lawyer/COO of Flora and Fauna and allegedly his sidepiece) for nothing more than a brief photo op??? God they’re as useless as tits on a bull.
Is that her? I have such a hard time distinguishing faces in photos.
That countdown photo really does make him look like the most typical suburban dad ever. Normal Bill achieved!
I am just astounded by the insensitivity of these two fools. I’m not saying Kate should have been bawling hysterically, but she breezed in and grinned like she was going to a fun birthday party. Wow! What a great place! People must love coming here! Then we have William. Really? Making sure everyone bought the magazine? That’s how you highlight a homeless problem, a “jokey” effort by someone with multiple homes? Who advises them? Anyone with a brain would understand these are terrible optics!
Linny- it’s obviously keen Katey the worlds best advisor
The National Scot and the Irish Times aren’t playing around. They are openly criticising the House of Windsor.
Twitter was dragging Baldy yesterday for his little PR Stunt. There are also photos of at least 2 photogs in place taking photos for his little stunt.
This has to be a reaction to the complaints about them being “out of touch” and the amount wasted on the jubbly.
And I don’t think these are unworthy causes, but as was said on the post about Kate’s visit to the baby bank, why not bring a donation? Set up a link through KP social media? Fundraise? Showing up empty-handed and empty-headed is not gonna cut it.
Because the Sussex’s are no longer there for the media to harass and abuse this is who they target. It’s what they deserve but it’s also what the BM deserve. Lazy royals who are about publicity stunts rather than meaningful change for England. Those two lazy bums could be doing so much more, REAL work and they don’t. So f*ck them and leave them to the wolves.
The photo of K grinning like a hyena irks me. It’s giving fun day out at a food bank vibes.
I’m not surprised by the backlash. My mother always said if you point at someone there are three fingers pointing back at you. Tabloids foamed at the mouth when M visited Texas so I’m not surprised K&W are getting heat back in Scotland and on Twitter
The problem with these kind of events is that the message is “our mere presence here is the privilege”. There’s just no way this is going to work with the younger generations. Meghan and Harry get criticism for some of the small gifts or donations they bring with them, but it shows that they don’t subscribe to that belief. I mean the others gift freaking pictures of themselves. It’s ridiculous in this day and age.
I will never not laugh that Tina Brown probably thought she was shading Meghan with those stories about her “concerns” on the Australian tour and what was the purpose of some of those events. That book coming out after the Caribbean tour only showed that she was exactly right. Their take on the African tour was such a good blueprint going forward (no matter how much I wanted to see her bring the fashion). You can see why the courtiers disliked her so much, she was trying to change everything that had worked in the past. And this year proved them very very wrong and they still haven’t learned.
Meghan was probably trying to change things to actually bring the monarchy into the modern age and Will and Kate probably hated all the turmoil she was causing. Those two, especially Kate, seem to play by the rules. It had always worked for them in the past so she was just this disruptor, you see it play out in workplaces all the time.
The whole family’s chance to show that they could truly adjust and modernize was to provide extra support and compassion for the first person of color to enter their family and the additional struggles she would face. Instead they just acted like she should be grateful for the privilege.
You hit the nail right on the head, Buddy.
Thank you @Buddy. This is why so many of us women of color are Meghan fans — it’s less about the Royal Family (who cares) and more about how Meghan’s experience in that toxic workplace mirrors so much of what we see and experience every day in the professional world, except Meghan’s story was visible on a global stage. So many bright, energetic women and especially WOC enter into firms and bring lots of fresh ideas with them, and encourage innovation especially in the direction of being more inclusive and compassionate of marginalized groups (both workers and customers/users), and are demonized for it. Exactly as you say, they are seen as ‘disruptors” and are promptly bullied out, blamed for made-up errors, fired, or forced to quit. But in so many cases — and definitely in Meghan’s — their ideas are proven right in a few years’ time. The future IS about greater empathy, inclusivity, and justice — anything else seems biased and backwards.
That stunt of William’s was an insult to the intelligence. Of course he was not incognito – he was only out there about 5 minutes when the press started emerging. And if he had been incognito – well, what exactly would have been the point of that??
As for his vacuous wife inappropriately grinning like a hyena all the way through her engagement, and commenting what a “wonderful” time it is when babies are small – did she actually know what the place she was visiting does? Because life is certainly not all “wonderful” if you need to visit a baby bank.
Digital Unicorn, The lawyer, I believe, is a blond Russian woman. This pretty brunette was certainly welcomed by Mr. Every Woman But My Wife.
I’m 100% convinced it’s Svetlana Ignatieva, lawyer and COO for Flora and Fauna. The bloody cheek of Wm to show up with his purported sidepiece on his arm. That’s why he has such a big, idiotic grin on his face, it was a deliberate insult to Kate.
Whooooa. It does look like her.
And Svetlana Ignatieva was physically present in Norfolk campaigning with others against the building of a silica quarry in Shouldham recently….which is 30 minutes away from Anmer.
I don’t think it’s her though. She doesn’t have a distinct look, kind of common.
Looks like her to me. Same hair color, hairline, rounded forehead, profile.
WHAT!?! No matter how much he dislikes his wife, that’s so inappropriate and callous.
And to think, all they had to do was follow Meghan’s lead to learn how to do philanthropy and advocacy and activism effectively instead of this self-serving, narcissistic, unhelpful BS.
Like that first picture LOL.
what bothered me is that Kate showed up in an expensive royal wardrobe probably driven in by a limo, grinned and made small talk then and “sympathized” then back in the limo. Not a good look.
Not sure if it’s been said but I have two things to add to the general sentiment of this gross “work”
1. Not to pit two women against each other, but if it was Megan or even H&M together, they would have brought with them a truckload of supplies and not just smiled, waved, and left.
2. I really, really like her blazer. a lot.
A well deserved criticism . Lip service and performative charity work which is a more akin to PR photo opportunities to improve the royals image is out of place given the hard times faced by many people.
Burger King pic with feelings for the tree is priceless. Scotland doesnt like them and it shows. The choochoo tour was the same. They were not welcome to spread covid and still went.
Why are their staff so bad at this? It would be so easy to make their appearances a little more useful. In the days prior, blanket social media with, “Prince William supports the efforts of The Big Issue, which benefits the unhoused. Visit [link] to learn more about their important work. HRH will be selling copies of The Big Issue on [date] in [location]. Stop by to meet the future king and purchase a copy.”
Then, when it’s over, more social media posts with pictures of the event and ways for the public to get involved.
What is the point of pretending to be incognito? It’s an obvious lie, and the only reason for a royal appearance is to DRAW ATTENTION to a charitable cause. If the presence of the royals isn’t increasing the charity’s visibility, it’s just a pointless exercise.
William and Kate don’t care, period. Their staffers a) know their bosses don’t care; b) don’t give a damn either because they are just coasting till their next prestige/work-for-a-billionaire gig.
Because it’s not about helping the charity, they are just having a lark role playing as poor people. They go back to their crowd and say “oh I know exactly what it is to be poor, tut tut, it so very difficult, carrying the three newspapers and the card reader, and the vest gave me a rash…” and their friends all Pat them on the back, congratulating them on their compassion.
What really bothers me is how the Will stans say how Diana would have been so proud of William for this stunt with the Big Issue. She surely would not have, IMO.Diana actually did work with her charities and was a lot more hands on with them than William could even dream of. I think Diana would have been most proud of Harry.
The RF has mental issues.
Such a crime that so much millions is spent on that Jubilee while so many poverty stricken families and individuals who cannot afford rent or food or to feed and care for their kids continue to suffer. These ‘royal’ parasites need to just stop. All that wealth and pomp and inequality. It is so wrong and is so unjust. Based on cruelty, brutality and genocide, the monarchy continues to be perpetuated on the backs of the poor and oppressed. Those pics of those morons really show how apathetic they are and disconnected towards those not as privileged as they are. They obviously think that being poor is a joke.
Will and tree picture makes me laugh
William imo is playing at being like the rest of us. He got a job in an ambulance rescue even got a regular salary though his or said he was donating it to charity.he skipped shifts and had photo ops.he can only play at playing normal he never learns
Tessa
William never donated the salary. He put it in his Royal Foundation which is notorious for not giving out funding to charities in need. Rather it spends on galas and funding itself.
Just pointing out, they do not own Anmer, 1A, or Tam Na Ghar. Anmer remains Liz’s property as does Tam Na Ghar. They are given priority use of staying at TNG the few times they are in Scotland, but it isn’t reserved only for them the rest of the time. Any of the other royals can stay there when they visit Balmoral too.
We’ve seen the last few times they’re in Scotland (like once a year). They stay at the main house for their flying 36 hour PR visit. Or they stay at Birkhall because it is fully staffed unlike TNG.
This is so horrible. Contrasted with the enormous sums obviously spent on the Jubilee, it’s heartbreaking and shows how completely out of touch the whole working royal family is. Hello, I am here to take photos of myself in a place for poor people, my watch cost more than your car and I am a bit tired having just spent a week partying at your expense so I can’t stay long or actually be of any real help.
This is weird even by W & K’s standard
However is giving them advice about apperances should be fired. They are getting lots of bad PR damaging further their rep.
I want to know more about Chopper’s Russian babe !!!